Dubai:
Dubai based Aster DM Foundation donated 40 million Nepalese Rupees (Dh1.44 million) to build hundreds of homes in earthquake ravaged Nepal.
Dr Azad Moopen, chairperson Aster DM Foundation on Thursday handed over the cheque to Dhananjay Jha, Ambassador of Nepal, formally launching the Hope initiative to build 500 homes in Nepal, On April 25, Nepal suffered massive devastation when an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale killed 10,000 people, and left millions homeless.
Dr Moopen said: “It is important to have sympathy but more important is for people to have empathy and extending a helping hand to people in trouble as this devastation could have happened anywhere in the world.
“We have at least a 100 Nepalese employees working in our group and besides helping our own family, we decided to extend our help to the other Nepalese brethren. When we launched the initiative last month every employee from our group donated a day’s salary as contribution to the fund and we made our corporate contribution,”
Dr Moopen also pledged to give special preference to Nepalese nationals in future employment to help extend additional economical help.
Alisha Moopen one of the directors of Aster DM Health Care Group told Gulf News the group had provided financial help to 23 of their own Nepalese employees to build homes,: “We are providing each of the affected employee a sum of NPR 400,000 (Dh14,419) which is being given in four instalments of 100,000 (Dh3,605) each. The employee will initiate the building of the home and as work progresses we will release the subsequent instalments. We decided to hold this event to inspire the people of UAE to be generous with their financial and humanitarian help in reviving the economy and social life of Nepal and restoring its vibrancy.”
Jha thanked Dr Moopen for the contribution, emphasising that his country needed nearly $6 billion (Dh22 billion) for rebuilding: “It is a daunting task and millions have been displaced. We cannot change the topography of our country but are pledging to move people from the fault lines and build earthquake-proof houses. This is going to take a long time. The immediate need of the people is to find safe shelters during the impending monsoons which will bring on more landslides and add to the woes of the community. Many people have come forward to help the community, but I appreciate the collective effort made by Dr Moopen who has shown commitment and dedication to help our nation. I hope others are inspired by this and come forward to join this collective action of rebuilding Nepal.”
Dhukul Raj, an employee of Aster DM Healthcare Group in Dubai whose house was damaged by the earthquake expressed his gratitude for the assistance: “It means a lot that the people I work with have come together to help all of us who were affected by the calamity. We cannot thank them enough for their generosity. It means a lot to my family that help has come for us to rebuild not just our house but our lives.”
